Sherwood Grove: A Redwall Legend
by the-one-called-Drew
Summary: This is the story of a Squirrel that comes to Redwall with a tale to tell of a valiant beast named Robin Hood. Re-uploaded
1. The Outlaw

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Sherwood Grove: A Redwall Legend

Deep in Redwall abbey, Abbot Mordalfus

silenced the crowd of Abbeybeasts waiting

for the reason they had been called together.

Matthias and Cornflower sat next to the newly 

married Mattimeo and Tess, and friends Basil, 

Fore mole and Constance.

Mordalfus: "My friends, we have a guest at the abbey tonight. His name is Pyle, and he has a tale from the East. Let us listen, for it may turn to be very exciting."

The crowd silenced, as a cloaked squirrel sat before them in the Abbot's chair. 

Pyle: "The tale I bring is one of an evil king, a fearless hero, and quest to free a kingdom.

So listen closely, as I tell you the tale…. Of Robin Hood!

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Chapter 1: The Outlaw

In the days of the hare King Rickar, their lived a squirrel named Robin. When Robin was a few seasons from a dibbun, he heard of a shooting contest proclaimed by the King's brother, Prince Joras. The prize was a barrel of October Ale, and no one had as good a shot as Robin.

The day of the contest, Robin was walking through Sherwood Forest, when he came upon some of the Prince's foresters. One of them, a large ferret, called out to him.

"You there, young' in, where are you heading with those arrows?

Robin turned and smiled. "I go to Nottingham to win the shooting match."

When the foresters heard this, they burst out laughing. This made the squirrel very cross, so he made a bet with the ferret and his pals, that he could bring down the largest of the woodsparrows in a group of them, a group more then sixty yards away. They took his bet, and he pulled out his bow. Taking aim, he shot his arrow, and it sped like an eagle in the air, killing the woodsparrow dead on.

"What do you say to that shot my fellows?"

The group were very angry, for not only had the squirrel won, but he had killed one of the Prince's woodsparrows that they were to watch.

When the foresters didn't anwser, Robin walked away angrily. All would have been well, but the ferret forester, angry at losing, stood up and fitted an arrow to his bow. He shot the arrow at Robin, missing his ear. Robin turned around quickly, fitting his bow.

"You said I was no archer, but what would you say now!" He cried loudly, firing his arrow and killing the ferret dead on. Before the others could move, Robin was gone.

As Robin ran, his heart sank. He had killed another beast in cold blood. By doing this, he had made himself an outlaw. He turned around and saw the foresters running off to tell the Sheriff of Nottingham. He stopped running. He knew he couldn't run anymore, so he decided to stay in the forest. For three seasons, he hid in Sherwood, gathering other outlaws that had killed woodsparrows to eat, or had been taxed from their homes by the greedy Sheriff and Prince Joras.

By the end of the third season, he had two score outlaws with him, and they chose young Robin as their leader. Each of the other outlaws, whether hedgehog, mole, mouse, shrew or otter, were fitted with suit of Forest green, and taught how to use bows and swords. They made it their goal to take from the wealthy and give to the poor woodlanders. The band became known as the Merry ones, and Robin became Robin Hood..

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A young dibbun, who had sat quietly while Pyle had spoke, stood up.

Ruve: That mista Robun bad. He shotten ferret fur no reasun.

Pyle smiled at the dibbun.

Pyle: Yes he did little one, but he chose to make up for it by helping poor woodlanders.

Remember that, and let me continue my tale. 


	2. Robin meets Little John

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Sherwood Grove: A Redwall Legend

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Chapter 2: Robin meets Little John

One morning, as the birds sang, Robin and his band awoke. Each beast washed their fur in a cold brook that seemed to laugh from stone to stone. When they had finished, Robin spoke up.

"Today my friends, I shall seek some adventure. Wait for me in the grove, and If need you, I will blow three blast from my shell horn"

So young Robin walked through Sherwood and ran into some gentle beasts:

A plump old hedgehog and a feisty little chipmunk, but no adventures. At last he came to a log bride over a long stream. On the other side stood a large badger . The two quickened their pace, each hoping to cross first.

"Stand back !" cried Robin, "and let the better beast pass first" 

The badger laughed. "Then why don't you stand back, for I am the better beast"\

Then, the two beast started to boast. The badger was larger then Robin by a few hairs, and was also broader. Finally, Robin challenged the badger to a fight with quarterstaffs on the bridge. The first beast to fall into the stream would lose. The badger laughed. 

"I will gladly wait for you to cut your own staff," he said whilst twirling his own.

No other beast would have witnessed a fiercer battle. The squirrel and badger fought for a good hour, as blow were exchanged between the two. Then the badger landed a crack on little Robin's noggin. The squirrel lost his temper, and swung with all his might, but the badger caught him off guard, and Robin fell into the stream.

The badger laughed and helped Robin out. Robin blew three blasts on his horn, and then congratulated the stranger.

"I must say you are a strong fighter," said Robin.

"And you," said the badger, " you take your beating bravely."

As he finished, twenty strong beasts, all dressed in forest green, walked from the bushes.

They asked what had happened, and when they heard of Robins little "bath" they stood ready to do the same to the badger. But the large group was no match for the great beast, who held them all back. Then Robin did something none of them expected: He asked the badger to join his band.

"If you have a beast that can shoot a better arrow then I, I may."

He borrowed the strongest bow, next to Robin's, and shot an arrow so straight it hit the center of an oak that stood eighty yards away.

Robin's band clapped, for the shot was one of the best that had seen.

In return, Robin took up his bow and shot an arrow that split the badger's arrow.

"That is one of the finest shot I have seen, I will join you band. My name in Jonlittle the Strong." 

Then, Will Stutle, a small mole, walked from the group.

"I not liken yur nam, so I be changin it. You be so _small_ that I be callin you Little Jon."

And with that, the mole poured a cup of ale over the badger's head.

At first, Jon was cross, but with the beast that stood before him laughing so meerily, he could help but laugh with them. 

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Pyle: And that is the end of the first par of my story, as Robin met his new friend, Jon.

Any objections to my story continuing?"

The abbey beast were silent.

Pyle: Good. Now let me remember…

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Sorry about the time between chapters, I've been busy.

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End file.
